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Heritage Library Center

...the heart of the Heritage Center for genealogical, historical and cultural research.

Highlights of the holdings at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center Library include eighteenth and nineteenth century immigration records, the Pfälz emigration records from the Institut für Pfälzische Geschichte und Volkskunde in Kaiserslautern, Germany and the Germans to America Series 1840 to 1897. The collection also includes church and cemetery records, will abstracts, tax and land records of several Pennsylvania counties; local, county, family histories; Revolutionary and Civil War records; the published Pennsylvania Archives, and works regarding the culture, dialect and folklore of the Pennsylvania Dutch.

The library also houses the Pennsylvania German Society publications and the Don Yoder Folklife Collection.

Researchers are welcome during regularly scheduled hours and by appointment. Genealogists are on site Tuesday through Friday. The library is open at no charge to members of the PGCHC. There is a charge of $5 for non-members.

A member of the library staff is available to conduct research for individuals who cannot visit the library. Research Request Forms may be obtained by calling the library, writing, emailing or by clicking here for a .pdf file.

Hours of Operation

Upcoming Events

December 2, 2017Christmas on the Farm (10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)Dare to visit the Belsnickel... Seasonal demonstrations, craftspeople and artisans, food, Christmas carols, and more at this free event!

March 10, 2017PA German Zammelaaf - Lebanon High School (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)Free Admission. PA German speakers, singers, food, traditional arts and crafts, and childrens activities. The Pennsylvania German Zammelaaf (a word that means "gathering") was started on January 3, 2012. The mission of the Pennsylvania German Zammelaaf is to promote and preserve Pennsylvania German culture, language, and heritage.

COMING IN 2017!Powwowing in Pennsylvania: Braucherei & the Ritual of Everyday LifeThis lavishly illustrated work introduces Pennsylvania's tradition of ritual healing, known as powwow (or Braucherei in Pennsylvania Dutch), combining a diverse array of prayers, gestures, and the use of everyday objects, these rituals are used for healing the body, protection from physical and spiritual harm, and ensuring good outcomes in everyday affairs.